Complete Works Of Origen

2019·11.2 MB·English

by  Origen

The Complete Works of Origen
This material is available in the public domain.
Published from Toronto, Ontario
Canada
March, 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
De Principiis
PREFACE
BOOK I
BOOK II
BOOK III
BOOK IV
Africanus to Origen
Origen to Africanus
Origen to Gregory
Against Celsus
BOOK I
BOOK II
BOOK III
BOOK IV
BOOK V
BOOK VI
BOOK VII
BOOK VIII
Letter of Origen to Gregory
Commentary on the Gospel of John
Book I
Book II
Book IV
Book V
Book VI
Book X
Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew
Book I
Book II
Book X
Book XI
Book XII
Book XIII
Book XIV
The King James Bible
Introduction - Origen
Origen, most modest of writers, hardly ever alludes to himself in his
own works; but Eusebius has devoted to him almost the entire sixth book of
"Ecclesiastical History". Eusebius was thoroughly acquainted with the life
of his hero; he had collected a hundred of his letters; in collaboration with
the martyr Pamphilus he had composed the "Apology for Origen"; he dwelt
at Caesarea where Origen's library was preserved, and where his memory
still lingered; if at times he may be thought somewhat partial, he is
undoubtedly well informed. We find some details also in the "Farewell
Address" of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus to his master, in the controversies of
St. Jerome and Rufinus, in St. Epiphanius (Haeres., LXIV), and in Photius
(Biblioth. Cod. 118). Origen at Alexandria (185-232)
Born in 185, Origen was barely seventeen when a bloody persecution
of the Church of Alexandrian broke out. His father Leonides, who admired
his precocious genius was charmed with his virtuous life, had given him an
excellent literary education. When Leonides was cast into prison, Origen
would fain have shared his lot, but being unable to carry out his resolution,
as his mother had hidden his clothes, he wrote an ardent, enthusiastic letter
to his father exhorting him to persevere courageously. When Leonides had
won the martyr's crown and his fortune had been confiscated by the
imperial authorities, the heroic child laboured to support himself, his
mother, and his six younger brothers. This he successfully accomplished by
becoming a teacher, selling his manuscripts, and by the generous aid of a
certain rich lady, who admired his talents. He assumed, of his own accord,
the direction of the catechetical school, on the withdrawal of Clement, and
in the following year was confirmed in his office by the patriarch Demetrius
(Eusebius, Church History VI.2; St. Jerome, "De viris illust.", liv). Origen's
school, which was frequented by pagans, soon became a nursery of
neophytes, confessors, and martyrs. Among the latter were Plutarch,
Serenus, Heraclides, Heron, another Serenus, and a female catechumen,
Herais (Eusebius, Church History VI.4). He accompanied them to the scene
of their victories encouraging them by his exhortations. There is nothing
more touching than this picture Eusebius has drawn of Origen's youth, so
studious, disinterested, austere and pure, ardent and zealous even to
indiscretion (VI, iii and vi). Thrust thus at so early an age into the teacher's
chair, he recognized the necessity of completing his education. Frequenting
the philosophic schools, especially that of Ammonius Saccas, he devoted
himself to a study of the philosophers, particularly Plato and the Stoics. In
this he was but following the example of his predecessors Pantenus and
Clement, and of Heracles, who was to succeed him. Afterwards, when the
latter shared his labours in the catechetical school, he learned Hebrew, and
communicated frequently with certain Jews who helped him to solve his
difficulties.
The course of his work at Alexandria was interrupted by five journeys.
About 213, under Pope Zephyrinus and the emperor Caracalla, he desired
"to see the very ancient Church of Rome", but he did not remain there long
(Eusebius, Church History VI.14). Shortly afterwards he was invited to
Arabia by the governor who was desirous of meeting him (VI, xix). It was
probably in 215 or 216 when the persecution of Caracalla was raging in
Egypt that he visited Palestine, where Theoctistus of Caesarea and
Alexander of Jerusalem, invited him to preach though he was still a layman.
Towards 218, it would appear, the empress Mammaea, mother of Alexander
Severus, brought him to Antioch (VI, xxi). Finally, at a much later period,
under Pontian of Rome and Zebinus of Antioch (Eusebius, VI, xxiii), he
journeyed into Greece, passing through Caesarea where Theoctistus, Bishop
of that city, assisted by Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem, raised him to the
priesthood. Demetrius, although he had given letters of recommendation to
Origen, was very much offended by this ordination, which had taken place
without his knowledge and, as he thought, in derogation of his rights. If
Eusebius (VI, viii) is to be believed, he was envious of the increasing
influence of his catechist. So, on his return to Alexandria, Origen soon
perceived that his bishop was rather unfriendly towards him. He yielded to
the storm and quitted Egypt (231). The details of this affair were recorded
by Eusebius in the lost second book of the "Apology for Origen"; according
to Photius, who had read the work, two councils were held at Alexandria,
one of which pronounced a decree of banishment against Origen while the
other deposed him from the priesthood (Biblioth. cod. 118). St. Jerome
declares expressly that he was not condemned on a point of doctrine.
Origen at Caesarea (232)
Expelled from Alexandria, Origen fixed his abode at Caesarea in
Palestine (232), with his protector and friend Theoctistus, founded a new
school there, and resumed his "Commentary on St. John" at the point where
it had been interrupted. He was soon surrounded by pupils. The most
distinguished of these, without doubt, was St. Gregory Thaumaturgus who,
with his brother Apollodorus, attended Origen's lectures for five years and
delivered on leaving him a celebrated "Farewell Address". During the
persecution of Maximinus (235-37) Origen visited his friend, St. Firmilian,
Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who made him remain for a long period.
On this occasion he was hospitably entertained by a Christian lady of
Caesarea, named Juliana, who had inherited the writing of Symmachus, the
translator of the Old Testament (Palladius, "Hist. Laus.", 147). The years
following were devoted almost uninterruptedly to the composition of the
"Commentaries". Mention is made only of a few excursions to Holy Places,
a journey to Athens (Eusebius, VI, xxxii), and two voyages to Arabia, one
of which was undertaken for the conversion of Beryllus, a Patripassian
(Eusebius, VI, xxxiii; St. Jerome, Illustrious Men 60), the other to refute
certain heretics who denied the Resurrection (Eusebius, Church History
VI.37). Age did not diminish his activities. He was over sixty when he
wrote his "Contra Celsum" and his "Commentary on St. Matthew". The
persecution of Decius (250) prevented him from continuing these works.
Origen was imprisoned and barbarously tortured, but his courage was
unshaken and from his prison he wrote letters breathing the spirit of the
martyrs (Eusebius, Church History VI.39). He was still alive on the death of
Decius (251), but only lingering on, and he died, probably, from the results
of the sufferings endured during the persecution (253 or 254), at the age of
sixty-nine (Eusebius, Church History VII.1). His last days were spent at
Tyr, though his reason for retiring thither is unknown. He was buried with
honour as a confessor of the Faith. For a long time his sepulchre, behind the
high-altar of the cathedral of Tyr, was visited by pilgrims. Today, as nothing
remains of this cathedral except a mass of ruins, the exact location of his
tomb is unknown.
Works
Very few authors were as fertile as Origen. St. Epiphanius estimates at
six thousand the number of his writings, counting separately, without doubt,
the different books of a single work, his homilies, letters, and his smallest
treatises (Haeres., LXIV, lxiii). This figure, repeated by many ecclesiastical
writers, seems greatly exaggerated. St. Jerome assures us that the list of
Origen's writings drawn up by St. Pamphilus did not contain even two
thousand titles (Contra Rufin., II, xxii; III, xxiii); but this list was evidently
incomplete. Eusebius (Church History VI.32) had inserted it in his
biography of St. Pamphilus and St. Jerome inserted it in a letter to Paula.
Exegetical writings
Origen had devoted three kinds of works to the explanation of the
Holy Scripture: commentaries, homilies, and scholia (St. Jerome, "Prologus
interpret. homiliar. Orig. in Ezechiel"). The commentaries (tomoi libri,
volumina) were a continuous and well-developed interpretation of the
inspired text. An idea of their magnitude may be formed from the fact that
the words of St. John: "In the beginning was the Word", furnished material
for a whole roll. There remain in Greek only eight books of the
"Commentary on St. Matthew", and nine books of the "Commentary on St.
John"; in Latin an anonymous translation of the "Commentary on St.
Matthew" beginning with chapter xvi, three books and a half of the
"Commentary on the Canticle of Canticles" translated by Rufinus, and an
abridgment of the "Commentary on the Epistles to the Romans" by the
same translator. The homilies (homiliai, homiliae, tractatus) were familiar
discourses on texts of Scripture, often extemporary and recorded as well as
possible by stenographers. The list is long and undoubtedly must have been
longer if it be true that Origen, as St. Pamphilus declares in his "Apology"
preached almost every day. There remain in Greek twenty-one (twenty on
Jeremias and the celebrated homily on the witch of Endor); in Latin, one
hundred and eighteen translated by Rufinus, seventy-eight translated by St.
Jerome and some others of more of less doubtful authenticity, preserved in a
collection of homilies. The twenty "Tractatus Origenis" recently discovered
are not the work of Origen, though use has been made of his writings.
Origen has been called the father of the homily; it was he who contributed
most to popularize this species of literature in which are to be found so
many instructive details on the customs of the primitive Church, its
institutions, discipline, liturgy, and sacraments. The scholia (scholia,
excerpta, commaticum interpretandi genus) were exegetical, philological, or
historical notes, on words or passages of the Bible, like the annotations of
the Alexandria grammarians on the profane writers. Except some few short
fragments all of these have perished.
Other writings
We now possess only two of Origen's letters: one addressed to St.
Gregory Thaumaturgus on the reading of Holy Scripture, the other to Julius
Africanus on the Greek additions to the Book of Daniel. Two opuscula have
been preserved entire in the original form; an excellent treatise "On Prayer"
and an "Exhortation to Martyrdom", sent by Origen to his friend Ambrose,
then a prisoner for the Faith. Finally two large works have escaped the
ravages of time: the "Contra Celsum" in the original text, and the "De
principiis" in a Latin translation by Rufinus and in the citations of the
"Philocalia" which might equal in contents one-sixth of the whole work. In
the eight books of the "Contra Celsum" Origen follows his adversary point
by point, refuting in detail each of his false imputations. It is a model of
reasoning, erudition, and honest polemic. The "De principiis", composed at
Alexandria, and which, it seems, got into the hands of the public before its
completion, treated successively in its four books, allowing for numerous
digressions, of: (a) God and the Trinity, (b) the world and its relation to
God, (c) man and his free will, (d) Scripture, its inspiration and
interpretation. Many other works of Origen have been entirely lost: for
instance, the treatise in two books "On the Resurrection", a treatise "On
Free Will", and ten books of "Miscellaneous Writings" (Stromateis). For
Origen's critical work see HEXAPLA.